Wigan nurses to walk out as union announces significant escalation in strike action

Nurses at more than 120 NHS employers in England – including Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – will strike as part of the increasingly bitter dispute over pay and staffing.

The RCN, which accused the UK Government of refusing to engage in negotiations, said it will increase financial support for members who lose wages by taking industrial action.

The next strike will run continuously for 48 hours from 6am on March 1.

Previous action took place only during the day shift, for 12 hours each time.

For the first time, the RCN will involve nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempted.

A strike last week saw the RCN agree 5,000 exemptions at local level through committees of NHS hospitals and RCN staff, but this process will be stopped.

The RCN said it was continuing discussions with the NHS at national level as part of its commitment to “life and limb” care.

It will reduce services to an “absolute minimum” and ask hospitals to rely on members of other unions and other clinical professions instead.

The nursing union announced that the initial strike benefit rate will be increased from £50 to £80 per day, with the rate increasing to £120 from the fourth day of action.

RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: “It is with a heavy heart that I have today asked even more nursing staff to join this dispute.

“These strikes will not just run for longer and involve more people, but will leave no area of the NHS unaffected. Patients and nurses alike did not want this to happen.

“By refusing to negotiate with nurses, the Prime Minister is pushing even more people into the strike. He must listen to NHS leaders and not let this go ahead.

“I will do whatever I can to ensure patient safety is protected.

“At first, we asked thousands to keep working during the strikes but it is clear that is only prolonging the dispute.

“This action must not be in vain – the Prime Minister owes them an answer.”